Yamaha has a history of making excellent sound bars—some of which cost as much as a full set of speakers. This new $300 model is the gateway drug of all-in-one systems: It's so gonna get your broke-ass hooked.

I've had the pleasure of testing out the fourth-generation Yamaha surround sound bar, the…
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The 35" x 4" x 4" YAS-101 packs a 120-watt digital amplifier, two midrange drivers, and a built-in sub to shake the ol' abode. But where's the sound coming from? I DON'T KNOW. THE ROOM IS LIKE SPINNING! Or maybe that's the virtual surround sound software, which is designed to simulate 7.1-channel audio. Is high-quality surround sound possible for 300 clams? Seems like a reach, but Yamaha knows their sound bars, so we're stoked to find out. [Yamaha]